The government captured all areas held by the LTTE in the east in July 2007

Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) which carried out the study says these families are still living in transit camps in Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts.

The government announced capturing all areas held by the LTTE in the east in July 2007.

Meanwhile, a site in Sampur, Muttur east, is selected by the government for a coal power plant.

It has led to authorities establishing a high security zone (HSZ) in their ancestral lands, IDPs representatives say.

The Welfare Association for IDPs from Muttur East (WAIM) has expressed shock over government decision to establish the HSZ to protest a thermo power station to be built by India.

Paddy fields

WAIM president, K Nageswaran, told BBC Sinhala service, Sandeshaya that over 1600 families were displaced from Sampur during the conflict.

“These people were cultivating over 3500 acres of paddy filed and there are over 600 acres of residential land in this area,” he said.

These people have lived here for over 2000 years. We have also raised this issue with the Indian government TNA parliamentarian

Although the thermo power plant only requires 500 acres of land, Mr. Nageswaran said, a high security zone (HSZ) is established covering 9000 acres.

“We urge the authorities to give our land back at least in areas other than where designated for the power plant,” he said.

A parliamentarian representing the area said that nearly 7000 people have lost their ancestral lands as a result of government establishing the HSZ.

“These people have lived here for over 2000 years. We have also raised this issue with the Indian government,” K Thurairetnasingam, MP, told BBC Sandeshaya.

Minister for Power and Energy, John Senerviratne, admitted that some of their land will be given to the coal power plant.

Although not every IDP will be resettled in their original lands, he said, many remaining IDPs will soon be resettled.

However, the CPA points out that the government action amounts to relocating the IDPs according to UN definitions.